It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but the Walnut Ridge Bobcats had no problem doing just that on Friday. They strolled past Quitman with points to spare, taking the game 54-35. The win was just what Walnut Ridge needed coming off of a 41-20 defeat in their prior contest.
Walnut Ridge's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Enrique Perez, who rushed for 261 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 9.0 yards per carry. The team also got some help courtesy of Robbie Tate, who rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns.
Another reason for the win was Walnut Ridge's imposing defensive line, which managed to get into the backfield for six sacks. Leading the way was River Hancock and his two sacks.
Walnut Ridge has yet to lose a matchup at home this season, leaving them with a 8-3 record. That said, the team wasn't facing the toughest opposition over that stretch, as it included 0-10 Piggott and 0-10 Cave City (their opponents had an average overall winning percentage of 30.9% over those games). As for Quitman, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-7 record this season.
Walnut Ridge will take on Junction City at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Junction City knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past five games -- so hopefully Walnut Ridge likes a good challenge. Quitman does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
